Dinner Tonight: An Easier Alternative to Lobster Rolls

Plus, the science of spicy (and cool solutions)

This email was sent

August 20, 2026 8:02am EDT

Is this your brand on Milled? Claim it.

Matte tone:

Weeknight recipes that work.

August 20, 2026

Anyone can make these hot buttered shrimp rolls at home. No seafood shack required.

An Easier Alternative to Lobster Rolls

Jack Bishop

Author, editor, and avid home cook

I adore lobster. My preferred way to enjoy this treat is the iconic hot buttered lobster roll. From Long Island to Maine, I have a string of favorite roadside seafood places I visit while traveling in the summer. Honestly, I sometimes plan outings around these tasty pit stops. Yes, I really like lobster.

And while I could make lobster rolls at home, I never do. You need to cook several good-sized lobsters in order to yield the necessary one pound of meat. It’s a lot of work for what in the end is still a sandwich. But leave it to the always-brilliant Andrea Geary to solve my lobster roll dilemma. Her solution? Connecticut-Style Shrimp Rolls. Stick with me here and I will explain.

Featured Recipe

Connecticut-Style Shrimp Rolls

First off, as established in previous columns, I don’t love mayo, which is the tradition for seafood rolls outside of Connecticut. In any case, I think the bun should be warm and buttery. And the filling should match the roll, right? For her recipe, Andrea griddles split-top New England-style buns until golden brown. There’s even a recipe for homemade buns if you want a simple baking project.

As for the filling, the shrimp are shelled (so much easier than dealing with lobster), poached, chopped, and gently warmed in butter. A little shallot reinforces the sweetness of the seafood. Add salt and that’s it. Spoon the buttery filling into the buttery rolls and serve with lemon wedges. Garnish with chives if you want to get a bit fancy.

The recipe relies on residual heat to gently poach the shrimp so that it doesn’t overcook. And make sure to shock the poached shrimp in ice water. You can tackle this early in the day and stow the chopped shrimp in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, the recipe comes together in 10 minutes. Now that’s my idea of easy summer cooking. And did I mention that shrimp is cheaper than lobster? Score one for Connecticut and Team Andrea.

P.S. Have something you’d like me to write about? Drop me a line at [email protected].

My Weekend Recommendations

I’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday. Until then, here are some suggestions for the days ahead.

Watch

Have you been watching Flavor Forward, Nik Sharma’s wonderful YouTube show? (Yes, I’m biased, but this series was nominated for a James Beard Award!) “The Science of Spicy” episode is so informative and fun. Watch as Nik asks test kitchen colleagues to try purported remedies for cooling down a fiery mouth after eating halal-cart chicken. Spoiler alert: Beer was the loser.

Bake

I’ve lived in or near New England my entire life and I love the region’s easy fruit desserts with silly names. A streusel-topped buckle (translation: yellow cake with berries) makes a lovely weekend breakfast. Small-Batch Blueberry Buckle bakes in a loaf pan and is perfect for four or five people. Want a full-size cake? This round blueberry buckle serves 8 to 10.